Abstract: The prognosis of a cancer patient can be determined by analyzing the modulation of expression of specified genes in the tumor tissue. Genes uniquely up-regulated in adult stem cells that can reconstitute the tissue of the tumor are analyzed for up-regulation in the patient's tumor. Up-regulation of a plurality of such genes in the tumor is an indication of good prognosis. Genes uniquely up-regulated in fetal stem cells are analyzed for up-regulation in the patient's tumor. Up-regulation of a plurality of such genes in the tumor are an indication of a poor prognosis. Specific genes are disclosed, the modulation of which, in a patient's prostate cancer tumor, will serve as an indication of prognosis. Patients with a good prognosis are subjected to watchful waiting. Patients with a poor prognosis are aggressively treated. Kits are provided containing a set of affinity reagents that specifically detect expression of the various genes.

Abstract: The prognosis of a cancer patient can be determined by analyzing the modulation of expression of specified genes in the tumor tissue. Genes uniquely up-regulated in adult stem cells that can reconstitute the tissue of the tumor are analyzed for up-regulation in the patient's tumor. Up-regulation of a plurality of such genes in the tumor is an indication of good prognosis. Genes uniquely up-regulated in fetal stem cells are analyzed for up-regulation in the patient's tumor. Up-regulation of a plurality of such genes in the tumor are an indication of a poor prognosis. Specific genes are disclosed, the modulation of which, in a patient's prostate cancer tumor, will serve as an indication of prognosis. Patients with a good prognosis are subjected to watchful waiting. Patients with a poor prognosis are aggressively treated. Kits are provided containing a set of affinity reagents that specifically detect expression of the various genes.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of inducing cancer cells into dormancy and treating cancer in a subject. This method involves administering to a subject an effective amount of a compound that disrupts interaction between urokinase plasminogen activator receptor and integrin, thereby including cancer cells into dormancy and treating cancer in the subject. Also disclosed is a method of disrupting interaction between integrin and urokinase plasminogen activator receptor on cancer cells. The present invention also relates to a method of screening for compounds effective in inducing tumor dormancy and treating cancer in a subject.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel in vivo assay for quantitating intravasation of cancer cells based on a highly sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) utilized in combination with a chick embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assay. The assay of the invention provides a method for measuring the metastatic potential of cancer cells. The assay also provides a drug screening assay for identification of agents having anti-metastatic activity.